Howard Ed Phillips

Howard “Ed” Phillips, 80, of Hannibal, died at 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9, 2010, at Willow Care Center in Hannibal.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 13, at the Arch United Methodist Church in Hannibal. The Rev. Eric R. Mattson will officiate. Burial will be at Grand View Burial Park in Hannibal. The James O’Donnell Funeral Home in Hannibal is in charge of arrangements.
Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 12, at the James O’Donnell Funeral Home.
Mr. Phillips was born July 8, 1930, in St. Louis to Raymond and Estella Schaffer Phillips.
He was married to Joyce Easley on March 6, 1959, in St. Louis. She survives.
Other survivors include one son, Eddie Phillips Jr. (Shelly), Springfield, Mo.; a daughter, Pamela Giacomini (Steve), Roseville, Calif.; sisters-in-law, Edna Mae Skinner, Lou Skinner, Betty Quinn and Kathy Shores (Steve); five grandchildren, Beau Phillips, Kyndall Phillips, Karsyn Phillips, Jaelyn Giacomini and Jordyn Giacomini; and one special niece, Randi Widaman (Chuck). He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews
Mr. Phillips was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Woodrow Skinner, Earl Skinner and Marvin Skinner; and one brother-in-law, Bob Quinn.
Mr. Phillips was born in St. Louis in 1931 but grew up in Hannibal after his father, a railroad engineer, was transferred here. As a kid, Ed played baseball as often as he could.
A St. Louis Cardinal scout signed him in 1950 after seeing him play a handful of sandlot games. He was sent to a club in West Frankfort, Ill., in the Class D Mississippi-Ohio Valley League, where he batted .297. It was the first of many successful seasons offensively for Phillips, a switch-hitter. He would bat over .300 three times in the minors, including a .320 mark that netted him the Class A Western League batting crown in 1952. After Ed hit .306 for their Double-A team, Houston, in 1953, the Cardinals brought him up to the majors for the rest of the season. In each of the next two seasons, he was invited to the Cardinals’ major league spring camp, but wound up being assigned to Class AAA.
Mr. Phillips played infield and outfield during the era of Stan Musial and Red Schoendienst, and it was tough to bump those legendary players out of a job. He stuck it out in the minors until 1960, then left baseball, realizing he’d never be called to the majors again. He went to work for the American Cyanamid plant in Hannibal, retiring as a foreman after 25 years of service. In his spare time, he loved to golf at the American Legion Course, volunteering and helping to care for the golf course. He also loved to fish. He was a member of Arch United Methodist Church.
Pallbearers will be Emmett Herron, Paul Dougherty, Kenneth Lawson, Russell DeLaPorte, Bill Wilson and Kenneth Dusenberry.
Honorary pallbearers will be Chuck Widaman, Donley Lear, Don Stolberg, Charlie Lake, Archie Allen, Weldon Calvert, Don Brawley, Tom Givan, Bob Yarbrough, Ralph Brinkley and Ralph Brinkley Jr.
Memorial contributions may be made to Arch United Methodist Church.
Online condolences may be made and video tribute viewed at www.jamesodonnellfuneralhome.com.